Sports Burst: Will Real Madrid Ever Solve Kroos Conundrum?
Six years to find role for misfit midfielder, Maradona attacks football mafia and reign of King Krygios continues. 5 sparkling gems in the binge-watch of sport.
By Tim Stannard
1) Kroos admits it would be nice to win league one day in contract presentation
The normally reticent Toni Kroos was shoved in front of a microphone before the Madrid media on Thursday to discuss the extension of his contract with Real Madrid from 2020 to 2022.
And amongst the flora and fauna of questions hurled towards the German midfielder concerned plans to retire at Madrid -probably and stuff Kroos would like to win with Madrid - La Liga would be nice.
Also tucked in there was the “Khedira Syndrome” – the tendency for Real Madrid managers to assume German midfielders are all tough-tackling demons who love to be stuck in front of the back four. “I’ve played in different positions. Ancelotti put me in a more defensive role, but that’s ok. If the team’s ok, I’m ok,” soothed the prince of smooth-passing. By 2022, Real Madrid might actually work out what to do with the footballer.
2) Wenger wants Arsenal future for Bellerin
Arsene Wenger has issued a hands off ultimatum to Barcelona who have been sniffing – figuratively speaking – around fullback Hector Bellerin who began his youth career at the Camp Nou club and would quite like to renew the relationship.
On Barcelona news, Javier Mascherano, should be dropping by the Barcelona offices on Friday to put pen to paper on a new deal agreed over the summer that keeps the reluctant defender at the club till 2019.
3) Maradona blames ‘mafia’ for lack of managerial opportunities
Rather than being a bit mad, unreliable and largely incompetent, Diego Maradona has blamed the world of sports agents for the reason that he has opted not to entertain us all by becoming a football manager again.
“In football there is a big mafia. The world of coaching is dominated by agents, not by the merits of one [coach] or another, and I do not intend to join that world,” retorted the former Argentina striker in an interview with 'Marca'.
By sheer coincidence here’s some images of the man himself apparently picking a fight with Juan Sebastian Veron at a charity match on Wednesday night proving once again that he would be the perfect fit to coach any club.
4) Liverpool in doomed attempt to save football’s youth
Liverpool are attempting to stop turning young footballers into young punks by imposing a salary cap on wee nippers under the age of 17 of $48,000. The problem there is that a whole bunch of unscrupulous clubs – looking at you, Chelsea – will merely make that figure the salary per week and lure them away from Anfield.
5) Kyrgios punished for more tennis tantrums
Possibly the most entertaining human being in sport has been stuck on the naughty step once again. Australian tennis player and all round sporting bad boy, Nick Kyrgios, has been fined $16,500 after some rather bad behavior during a defeat at the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday. This included not trying, giving up on points, arguing with fans, swearing and generally being a rogue. Sports Burst salutes you.
WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?
The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.